Capodastro for stringed instruments



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR L. GASSETT, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

CAPODASTRO FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,560, dated March 8, 1892.

Application filed September 18, 1891. Serial No. 406,070. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LARTHUR L. GAssETT, of Cleveland, in the county of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oapodastros for Stringed Musical Instruments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in capodastros for guitars and similar stringed musical instruments, the object being to simplify the construction and consequently reduce the cost of such articles as compared with the capodastros heretofore devised.

A further object is to render the capodastro more quickly applicable to and removable from the instrument.

WVith these objects in view my invention consists in certain features of construction and in combination of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

The accompanying drawing shows my improved capodastro applied to the neck of a guitar, the figure representing a side elevation of the capodastro, partly in section, the neck of the guitar and attached strings being shown in section.

A represents the neck of the instrument, and a the strings thereof.

My improved device comprises two jaws B and 0, connected by a bar D, the latter serving also as the presser-bar of the capodastro. Bar D is preferably cylindrical the greater portion of its length, as between d d, and terminates in an enlarged section D'at one end and is threaded at the opposite end, as shown at D Between its threaded and cylindrical portions bar D is square-d or angular, and the shank of jaw B is correspondingly perforated to enable it to slide on the square or angular section of the bar, and a thumb-nut E is provided for maintaining jaw B in its adjustment. The enlarged section D of bar D is pierced vertically for receiving the shank of jaw O. The clamping part of the respective jaws is oblique with its shank, so that when the capodastro is locked in position, as hereinafter described, the clamping portions will more or less conform to the opposing surface of the neck of the instrument.

To the shank of jaw O is secured a lockinglever F.

In applying my improved capodastro lever F is first turned to the position shown in dotted lines, causing the clamping part of jaw O to be swung away from the neck of the instrument, and the device having been properly placed in position the same is locked to the instrument by turning lever F to the position shown in solid lines, in which position jaws B and O firmly clamp the neck of the instrument. The jaws should be padded with soft or elastic material, as at b and 0, so as not to scratch or wear the neck of the instrument. Bar D of course should be padded with suitable elastic material, so that the strings will be engaged with a yielding pressure. The pads heretofore employed were liable to become detached and had frequently to be renewed, causing not only much annoyance, but rendering the capodastro comparatively expensive. I have therefore devised a tubular padding G of suitable elastic material-such, for instance, as rubber. This tubular padding is tightly but loosely mounted 011 bar D, and hence as the padding becomes Worn where it touches the strings of the intsrument it can be turned on bar D, so as to present a new surface to the strings. This tubular padding is preferably of such size as to snugly fit between the shank of jaw B and the enlarged section D of presser-bar D when the device is adjusted for an instrument having a wide neck, so that in adjusting the device for an instrument having a narrower neck the tubular padding will be compressed and form a spring to actuate the sliding jaw in case the capodastro is again to be applied to a wide neck. Hence in the manufacture of my improved capodastro it is usually adjusted for an average-sized neck, with the tubular pad compressed to such a degree as to admit of extension to meet the demands of the trade. It will readily be observed that with such tubular pad the objectionable features possessed by the pads heretofore employed are entirely absent, and the tubular pad is much more economical in that there is comparatively no waste of material, and its functions of a spring renders it also of considerable importance in that, as aforesaid, it will actuate the sliding jaw in the direction to follow the thumb-nut E when the latter is manipulated to adjust the device for an instrument having a wider neck.

What I claim is 1. A capodastro comprising a pair of jaws and a presser-bar connecting said jaws, the presser-bar being suitably padded and one of the jaws having a lever attached for looking the device in position on the neck of the instrument, substantially as set forth.

2. A capodastro comprising a pair of jaws, a presser-bar connecting said jaws, and a tubular pad mounted on the presser-bar, one of the jaws having a lever'connected therewith for locking the device in position on the neck of the instrument, substantially as set forth.

3. A capodastro comprising a pair of jaws and a suitable padded presser-bar connecting said jaws, one of the jaws having a sliding movement, the presser-bar being pierced vertically at one end and screw-threadedat the opposite end and having an intermediate square or angular section, the latter having the sliding jaw mounted thereon, the shank of the opposite jaw extending up through the pierced end of the presser-bar and havinga locking-1ever connected therewith, substantially as in dicated, and the threaded section of the presser-bar having a thumb-nut mounted thereon,

substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A capodastro comprising a pair of jaws and a presser-bar connecting said jaws, one of the jaws having a sliding movement, the presser-bar being pierced vertically at one end and screw-threaded at the opposite end and'having an intermediate square or angular section, the latter having the sliding jaw mounted thereon, the shank of the opposite jaw extending up through the pierced end of the presser-bar and having a locking-lever connected therewith, the presser-bar between the jaws having mounted thereon a tubular pad and spring and the screw-threaded section of the presser-bar having mounted thereon a thumb-nut, substantially as and for the purpose set forth;

In testimonywhereof I sign this specification, in the presence of two Witnesses, this 5th day of September, 1891.

ARTHUR L. GASSE'IT.

Witnesses:

O. H. DORER, WARD HOOVER. 

